Getting Started with Open Source Contributions: Where & How?

[Arti]

hey!
I want to contribute to the open source but i am unable to know the exact way, how and where should I do that. If anyone can help?

 

[phinds]

There IS no "the" open source. There are tons of applications, developed by different people, that are open source. Start by Googling "gnu license".

Here's one hit that is a good place to start:

http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html

 

[Arti]

There IS no "the" open source. There are tons of applications, developed by different people, that are open source. Start by Googling "gnu license".

Here's one hit that is a good place to start:

http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-faq.html

Yes! I got that. We can start our contribution from gnu licenses directly ?

 

[phinds]

Yes! I got that. We can start our contribution from gnu licenses directly ?

WHAT contrbution? A contribution is not to the GNU license, it is to a specific software application developed by a specific individual or group and you have to figure out what application you want to contribute to an contact the authors or look at their web page to see what the contribution rules are.

 

[Arti]

WHAT contrbution? A contribution is not to the GNU license, it is to a specific software application developed by a specific individual or group and you have to figure out what application you want to contribute to an contact the authors or look at their web page to see what the contribution rules are.

Gotchaa.. thanks a lot !

 

[FactChecker]

Depending on which computer languages and tools you use, there are probably web sites for users. If you are interested in an open source tool or language, xxxyyy, then Google "xxxyyy users group" and see what pops up. Working with them should give you some orientation and ideas for your own work. I am familiar with a Perl website cpan.org. I am also aware of a git repository, github.com where people share code, but I have no experience with it.

 

[Arti]

Depending on which computer languages and tools you use, there are probably web sites for users. If you are interested in an open source tool or language, xxxyyy, then Google "xxxyyy users group" and see what pops up. Working with them should give you some orientation and ideas for your own work. I am familiar with a Perl website cpan.org. I am also aware of a git repository, github.com where people share code, but I have no experience with it.

I am familiar with C, C++, JAVA and python(basics). I am doing my bachelors, currently. Where should I start with ? Also please guide me with my first opensource contribution. Thanks.

 

[phinds]

I am familiar with C, C++, JAVA and python(basics). I am doing my bachelors, currently. Where should I start with ? Also please guide me with my first opensource contribution. Thanks.

You are asking too much. YOU need to find an open source application that you think is interesting and that you might like to participate in and then YOU need to contact the developers of that application and find out what the rules are. We cannot do that for you.

 

[jim mcnamara]

Go to http://sourceforge.net/ People start projects there all the time. Many projects are only partially complete. Email the project owner and find out what you can do.

 

[Arti]

Go to http://sourceforge.net/ People start projects there all the time. Many projects are only partially complete. Email the project owner and find out what you can do.

Yes, this sounds good. Thanks a lot, this was a great help !

 

[fluidistic]

There are many ways one can contribute to an open source project.
For example Stockfish's project (a chess engine), became the number 1 in terms of strength due to a testing platform. Programmers can modify the code and they test on thousands of games to check whether the change was good or bad in terms of elo. This requires a lot of computing power, and anyone can share their cpu's to the task; no need to be a programmer for that.
Here are the current patches being tested: http://tests.stockfishchess.org/tests.

 

[Arti]

There are many ways one can contribute to an open source project.
For example Stockfish's project (a chess engine), became the number 1 in terms of strength due to a testing platform. Programmers can modify the code and they test on thousands of games to check whether the change was good or bad in terms of elo. This requires a lot of computing power, and anyone can share their cpu's to the task; no need to be a programmer for that.
Here are the current patches being tested: http://tests.stockfishchess.org/tests.

This is amazing ! I loved it. Thanks a lot !

 

[Doug Huffman]

Wiki on FOSS history, organizations, licenses, people, software. http://freeopensourcesoftware.org/

 

[Arti]

Wiki on FOSS history, organizations, licenses, people, software. http://freeopensourcesoftware.org/

thanks a lot, this link is really helpful.